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The United States Record Communications Industry Dichotomy--Time For Change, Paul E. Tellier

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This paper will explore the battle between Western Union and the international record carriers in the record communications field. It will trace the development of the United States record communications industry from the early history of electric telegraphy, through the enactment of the Communications Act of 1934 and the Western Union divestitute of 1943, the gateway and mailgram cases of the second half of the twentieth century. It will examine the diverse solutions proposed--ranging from free competition between Western Union and the international record carriers in both the domestic and international markets to the creation of a single monopolistic entity …